Nerve Pixel
The Art of Derek M. Lowes

Welcome. We live in interesting times. My art journey started over 54 years ago, and I have never stopped making or thinking about art in some form or another. It began with crayons, finger paint, and plasticine. Now it spans more media and mediums than I can list.

In the face of AI, the buzz is that art as we know it is doomed, but I see opportunity. Now more than ever it is easier and faster to conceptualize and develop ideas. It’s the ideas, visions, and expressions that matter. I never limit myself.

But I do not advocate claiming synthetic media or generative AI is fine art. It is not art; it is synthetic media, a reference tool. It is not made by human hand.

At the core of my daily art practice, I explore what it’s like to be human and what it means to me and may mean to others.

For me, art is a practice. Not a hobby or a business.
It is a way of life. A way to communicate.

A Fun Take on Being Human

Here is a quick video I did as an introduction to my interpretation of what it means to be human.

My Most Current Completed Project

The working title for this piece is "Suffocation."
It was hand-created from wet paper pulp, and each piece (except the tiny twigs) was painstakingly molded and sculpted while wet and air-dried. It is 10” wide by 12" tall and 1.5” in depth. I also incorporated vintage book pages to cover the background as well as the solid frame that surrounds the piece. There is no clay; everything is paper pulp-based, using primarily bathroom tissue and some industrial paper towels. White glue and acrylic mediums were used to cure and help protect the delicate paper surfaces. The sculpture was painted with a combination of acrylic and oil paints and some gold leaf.

When I review the work, I have mixed feelings about it. It was a delicate and time-consuming labor of love, but it also haunts me in some ways. In most cases I like to let the viewers interpret my work so they can retrieve from it whatever works for them. But here I see the figure dissolving backward into the scene, almost like they are slowly immersing themselves under the surface of a calm lake or pool. The character is seemingly gasping for air in fertile and lush surroundings.

This piece was created solely with the intention of submitting it to an open call show at the Propeller Gallery in Toronto, Ontario. It’s an annual guest-curated exhibition that takes place July 8-26, 2026. The show's theme is “Looks Good On Paper”

This was my first time working in the wet paper pulp medium, so there was a large learning curve at the beginning. I will continue to explore it further in a few future projects.

Below is an extended collection of my latest available work.

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SUPERNOVA Installation HAS ENDED
I am excited to announce that for the month of February I WAS exhibiting selected works at Supernova Coffee, located at 897 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 2P9. Some work was developed specifically for the show. The owners and operators of Supernova are great people, and it was/is a pleasure to be affiliated with such a great cafe. THANKS TO ALL those that stopped in to check it out.

Most of the works displayed are priced lower than in my web store. So if you see something you like and notice it higher on my site, know that the prices at the Cafe are accurate until the show ends in March. Also, don’t be afraid to offer less if you really want something. I am very open to sharing my work at affordable prices.

INTERESTED IN PURCHASING?
If you are interested in one of my pieces, just email me and I will get back to you and reserve whatever original you want to purchase.

About the Show
It’s a cross section of my latest work, including sculpture, traditional oil painting, and acrylics with mixed media, as well as found objects assembled and repurposed.

Most of my work is loosely connected by themes of “Being Human.” I like to explore emotions, moods, and different aspects of the human condition. What is it like to be a human being and experience the journey we are all on? How do our experiences differ, and how are they the same?

Times and technology are changing at such a rate that I feel we can all easily lose sight of what it’s like to just “be.” It is so easy to stay trapped in a state of unconscious doing. We are willingly and constantly pulled and demanded upon through media, social expectations, and/or our own perceptions of who we strive to be. Do we take the time to celebrate who we are now?

I hope that you find your interpretation of the work personally evocative and that it inspires you to stop and look inwards for even a few seconds. Hopefully you can identify with something and feel connected.